Departures
Professor Christoph A. Heinrich
(*1953), currently Full Professor of Mineral Resources and Geochemistry of Hydrothermal Processes, will retire with effect from 1 February 2019. Christoph A. Heinrich has been a full professor at ETH Zurich since 1997, holding a dual professorship with the University of Zurich. His research interests focus on geological processes leading to the formation of mineral resources in the earth's interior. His group also works on other fluid processes, particularly deep geothermics. He has conducted field studies throughout the world in collaboration with various industrial companies. Among other roles, Christoph Heinrich served as Director of Studies of the Department of Earth Sciences and was also head of the Institute of Geochemistry and Petrology for a number of years.
Professor Hans Jürgen Herrmann
(*1954), currently Full Professor of Computational Physics for Engineering Materials, will retire with effect from 1 February 2019. Jürgen Herrmann was appointed to his present post in 2006. He has studied the fracture of heterogeneous materials since 1986 and has investigated the properties of granular media since 1992. He has achieved breakthroughs in the field of space-filling bearings and in establishing the equations of motion of dunes. His present research subjects include dense colloids, the formation of river deltas, quicksand, the failure of fibrous and polymeric composites, and complex networks. Among his other roles, Hans Jürgen Herrmann served on the Research Commission of ETH Zurich and was head of the Institute of Building Materials for several years.
Professor Christoph Keller
(*1981), currently Assistant Professor of Mathematical Physics, is departing with effect from 31 December 2018. Christoph Keller was appointed to his present post in 2015. He works on conformal field theories and their applications to string theory. His work combines highly successful physical intuition with methods from modern mathematics. Christoph Keller is leaving ETH Zurich in order to take up a post as a tenure track assistant professor in the USA.
Professor Jonathan Levine
(*1973), currently Full Professor of Plant Ecology, is departing with effect from 31 December 2018. Jonathan Levine has been a full professor at ETH Zurich since 2011. His research focuses on fundamental questions to do with the processes that determine the coexistence of plants. In addition, he investigates the biological reasons for the success of invasive plants and their impact on natural plant diversity. Jonathan Levine is leaving ETH Zurich in order to take up a professorship in the USA.
Professor Marcel Meili
(*1953), currently Full Professor of Architecture and Design, will retire with effect from 1 February 2019. Marcel Meili was appointed to ETH Zurich in 1999. He and his long-term partner, Markus Peter, founded their own architecture firm in Zurich in 1987. Some of the recent work carried out by Meili & Peter Architects includes the platform roofs of Zurich’s main railway station, and the University of Applied Sciences of Wood in Biel. Within the Department of Architecture – and working together with Jacques Herzog, Roger Diener and Pierre De Meuron – Marcel Meili co-managed ETH Studio Basel, which has achieved international recognition for bringing research and teaching on architecture together in a new institutional format.
Professor Philipp Rudolf von Rohr
(*1953), currently Full Professor of Process Engineering, will retire with effect from 1 February 2019. Philipp Rudolf von Rohr has been a full professor at ETH Zurich since 1992. His research focuses on transport processes, especially the exchange of heat and momentum, as well as on plasma-assisted processes for surface treatment, and high pressure processes on the micro and macro scale. In his teaching, he covered the principles of process engineering, plant engineering and multiphase flows. Philipp Rudolf von Rohr was head of the Institute of Mechanical Systems for many years, and has also served as head of the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering.
Professor Peter Widmayer
(*1953), currently Full Professor of Computer Science, will retire with effect from 1 February 2019. Peter Widmayer was appointed to his present post in 1992. His research interests lie in basic algorithmic solutions to real algorithmic problems. He has a particular methodological focus on algorithms for problems that are geometric and combinatorial in nature. The topics covered include problems of reconstruction in areas such as biology, route planning and railway optimisation. Peter Widmayer has been very active on behalf of the research community and ETH Zurich, where he served on a number of bodies over many years, including as a head of department and as a member of the University Assembly, the ICT Commission and the Research Commission.